The Sprawl
by protector91
Summary: The Hive Mind is vanquished and the marker and the entire colony on Aegis 7 have been destroyed. But in the ensuing aftermath, tormented Isaac realizes this is only the beginning.
1. Isaac Clark?

**A/N: This is my second Dead Space fic. It is written from Isaac's first person point of view, but during his fight with the Hive Mind it switches to third person. **

Damn you Kendra! After all I had to go through she still had to up and steal back The Marker from me. Does she not understand what's going on here? These things; these necromorphs had to be contained. Who knows what the Hive Mind could be capable of if allowed to remain free? Well it couldn't be helped now. I had to get out of here before that massive chunk of rock slams into the colony. As I ran a massive tremor shook the hallway and tripped me up. Something big was coming; it could be only one thing. The Hive Mind. I had to move. I just made it to the ship when another tremor knocked me onto my back. Kendra was running up the ramp to the ship when she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Oh my God!" She tried to run, but a massive tentacle swung at her and knocked her onto the platform. Even though I hated her for what she did, I still couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her.

"I'm going to regret this," I thought and using my kinesis module I dragged Kendra out of harm's way; the tentacle missing her by only a few mere inches.

"You just saved my life."

"Don't ask me why otherwise I might change my mind."

Another massive tentacle appeared on the platform; circling around me to separate us from the ship. The Hive Mind rose up and my breath stopped at the sight of its awesome size. I… I didn't know if I could fight it off, but I had to try. I covered my face as it let out a loud roar.

"Bring it on bitch."

"Isaac! You aren't going to fight that thing are you? You'll die!"

"What choice do I have?" I asked her. I used my kinesis module and on Kendra and dropped her behind the giant tentacle. "Don't make another run for that ship; you'll never make it," I told her.

* * *

Isaac wasted no time and began to shoot at the Hive Mind's weak points. One of them blew up resulting in the creature letting out another roar; this one of agony. Its tentacles began to madly slam into the platform. Isaac dove to dodge them and began to fire again tacking out two more of its weak points. Suddenly the Hive Mind grabbed Isaac's foot and hoisted him into the air. Isaac struggled to free himself but it was no good. The Hive Mind shook him violently in the air as if it was trying to make him drop his weapon. Isaac gripped his pulse rifle tightly and continued to open fire on its weak points. He destroyed another causing the Hive to swing him around wildly. It began to pull him towards it mouth and Isaac fired once again when he suddenly ran out of ammo and had no time to reload. He switched to the contact beam and began to charge it when the Hive began to shake him again and wouldn't let up. He couldn't aim at all. Isaac took a deep breath, focused, and fired. It was a direct hit. The Hive Mind wailed out loud as it threw Isaac back down to the platform. He collected his weapon as the Hive attempted another swing with its tentacles. Isaac ducked and began to open fire at its other weak spots picking them off one at a time. It launched two other necromorphs onto the platform to distract him, but he managed to maneuver them both into the path of its tentacles causing them to both be destroyed. Isaac dodged one final tentacle strike and then blew up its final weak point. The Hive Mind recoiled and howled out in anguish. It finally fell onto the platform and slid off; its tentacles following unblocking the pathway to the ship.

* * *

I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but I forgot to take it as I ran up the platform to the ship.

"Isaac! We can't leave without the marker!" Kendra shouted to me.

"There's no time. We have to go now! It's not worth dying over!" I yelled hoping she'd listen to reason. She looked at the ship and then at the marker. "For crying out loud Kendra! Get on the ship now or I'll blast you!" I shouted aiming my pulse rifle at her head. Of course I was bluffing, but given how she thinks I'm mentally unstable she wouldn't want to risk it. To my relief she ran inside up the platform.

I ran inside, shut the doors and leapt to the cockpit doors. Shit it was locked! "Come on!" I shouted pounding on the door. To my surprise it actually unlocked. I jumped into the pilot's seat and initiated an emergency lift off blasting my way off the planet and narrowly avoiding the rock as it plummeted down to the colony. The explosion was quite a sight to behold from space. I finally took that long needed breath as my ship flew away from that hell hole.

"So what now Isaac? Am I your prisoner?" Kendra asked me.

"Consider yourself my unwilling ally," I answered; rifle aimed at her. "Now go crawl someplace while I pilot this thing. And don't try anything foolish Kendra. I've had a long hard day and would prefer not to be in anymore fights to the deaths. Understood?"

"Understood," she said with a nod.

"There should be some med supplies in the back of the ship," I informed her referencing the cut on her face from when the Hive Mind attacked her.

"Thanks," she said heading off.

I looked back down at the massive crater created by that chunk of rock. Hopefully the impact destroyed the Hive Mind as well as the Marker meaning that anymore necromorphs would die off without their leader still breathing. It was all finally over. But damn it. Damn it all. Nicole. I wish I had got to see her, really see her again. But she had taken her own life. God knows why. It was probably because of the dang blasted marker. That hellish object ruined so many lives and took a whole lot more. Hammond, Temple, Elizabeth, Kayne, Nicole… Nicole. I honestly didn't know how I would go on living without her. She was my life. My reason to keep on going after that engineering accident cost me my voice originally. I would've given anything to see her again right now. To see her smiling, beautiful face, but that wasn't going to happen now. Not now, not ever again. And to think I was going to ask Nicole to marry me once the mining operation on Aegis 7 was over with. One thing's for certain. Neither the Church nor the government was going to get away with everything that proceeded today. Once I get back home I'm exposing this whole damn thing and nobody was going to stop me. I set a course for Earth and then Nicole's message began to play on screen. She looked so sad and had a right to. She was about to take her own life after all. I… I couldn't bear to watch that scenario all over again and terminated the message. May you rest in peace Nicole. There was suddenly a noise. Hell no! One of those necromorphs couldn't have stowed away on the shuttle. Plasma cutter in hand I slowly turned my attention to where the noise was coming from. My heart nearly stopped as the form of an infected Nicole jumped out of the shadows and attacked me. I reacted and hit her in the head with my plasma cutter. She fell to the floor and growled at me as she recovered.

"You. You're not real!" I shouted out. Why am I seeing this! This can't be Nicole because the necromorphs are all dead! She dashed at me again and I dodge d her attempt to tackle me. "Stay the hell away from me!" She ran at me and tackled me to the floor. She raised his fists in the air and attempted to strike me. I caught both her fists and held them back. "Get out of my mind! You aren't real! You aren't Nicoleeeeee!" There was a flash of light and then I was alone.

"Are you ok?" Kendra asked rushing into the cockpit.

My whole body was shaking all over. It really was only a hallucination. But how? The marker couldn't have survived. The asteroid hit right where I left it. That thing should be nothing but space dust now. I got back up to my feet and dusted myself off. I wasn't sure if I could deal with this madness again. I'm only human for fuck's sake! I sank back into the pilot's seat when I saw something rather odd on the view screen. There was another ship near me, but why? Next thing I knew I was being hailed.

"Ishimura shuttle 25. This is the crew of the USM Blood. You are to immediately dock with our ship and then wait for further instructions. You have one minute to comply."

You've got to be joking; another military class ship. What the hell could they be doing in this system? I gave Kendra a stern look.

"Isaac. You have to believe me. Those guys aren't with me."

Yeah right. Not wanting to take any chances I docked with their ship and then shut off my ships engines. I waited a few moments until my ship's comm. activated again.

"A boarding team is outside. You are to let them in."

I had a bad feeling about this, but none the less opened the shuttle doors. Several marines stepped inside and approached me.

"Isaac Clarke?" One of them asked me.

My eyes narrowed. "Who wants to know?" I replied back.

"I wouldn't go for that plasma cutter if I were you Mr. Clarke," One of them threatened raising his pulse rifle; the others doing the same. "We have been authorized to use force if you attempt to resist in any fashion. Now, put your hands on your head." I did as I was told and then two marines walked behind me forced me down and cuffed my hands.

"You too Ms. Daniels." She did the same and we were taken off the ship.

"Where the hell are you guys taking us?" I asked as we walked away from the shuttle.

"To a place where you can get help, Mr. Clarke."

"Where is that?"

"The Sprawl. A space station not too far from our location. Once there, you'll get the help you need."

"I don't need any help," I thought to myself. "What I needed was to get back to my shuttle."

_Isaac. Isaac. It's me Nicole. Please help me. I love you. Please._

"Stay the hell out of my mind!" I thought shaking my head a bit.

"Put him in a holding cell with the others," One of the marines ordered.

"What about the girl?"

"Take her to the captain's office. Captain says there someone there to see her."

The soldiers behind me took me to the holding deck while Kendra was hauled off to the to see the captain. They threw me into a cell with three other people. Two of them were male; one was missing a hand. The other was a woman.

"What are you in for?" I asked trying to make conversation. The woman shook her head.

"I wish I knew. One minute we were literally escaping from hell and then the next we were being picked up by these guys."

"What were you trying to get away from?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said with an almost chuckle suggesting that she might not believe it herself.

"Try me," I said since I've seen virtually everything tonight.

"My friends and I were part of a space colony. We unearthed something that unleashed a horror beyond imagination. So many people were killed…" The woman stopped and tears began to roll down her cheeks. My boyfriend was among the first killed. That damn marker drove him insane!"

"Wait a minute!" I interrupted. "Did you just say that damn marker?"

"Yes why?" She asked a little confused.

"Aegis 7. Hive Mind. Necromorphs. Any of that sound familiar to you?"

"How do you know of any of this?" The man with one hand asked.

"Because I just went through all of that not too long ago. I was part of the emergency maintenance team of the USG Kellion."

The woman's eyes widened in shock at that name. "You were part of the Kellion's team? I thought you all died for sure."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I received your message when you hailed the Ishimura. We had just taken off in Ishimura shuttle 23. I tried to warn you to stay away, but the signal wouldn't go through. When I tried to figure out a way to contact you one of the necromorphs attacked us. I managed to kill it, but spotted your ship slam into the Ishimura. I thought you all died."

"We barely managed to make it through. Only two of us survived though. Three of the security guards were killed by necromorphs. The other survivor is being taken to see the captain. Name's Clarke. Isaac Clarke."

"My name is Lexine Murdoch. These are my friends Nathan McNeill, and Gabriel Weller. You must be Nicole's Isaac."

"You knew Nicole?"

"I ran into her a few times whenever I got hurt on the job. She never shut up about you. When she died…" Lexine stopped talking for a moment and I could understand. I felt like crying myself when I discovered that Nicole wasn't alive. In fact I would have if it hadn't been for the threat of imminent death.

* * *

Meanwhile in another cell, another lone prisoner sat curled up against the corner slowly rocking back and forth; back and forth.

"Isaac," she thought. "No Isaac Clarke is dead. You thought you heard his voice, but it isn't possible," The broken figure of Nicole Brennan continued to repeat over and over again in her mind. If she had only stayed with Isaac when she first came across him trying to send out a distress call. She had never been so happy in her life at that moment. She truly thought she'd never see Isaac again. Especially after she made that video log. She never wanted to record that message, but she was held at gun point by Doctor Mercer, who had gone completely insane following the Marker's removal. After the message ended she attempted to make her escape; twice. Shortly after her meeting with Isaac she actually found one of two working shuttles. She couldn't reach Isaac and didn't want to leave him. She knew he was a fighter, but what if he didn't find the other shuttle? Did she really want to take that chance? Nicole made her choice and took the Ishimura shuttle 24 praying that Isaac somehow would survive.

She stayed in the orbit of the Ishimura for a while just in case Isaac found the other ship, but as time passed she doubted that would happen. She took the ship and plotted a course for Earth when her ship picked up Ishimura shuttle 25 taking off and heading down to the colony. That could only have been Isaac, but why would he go down to the planet? As her ship flew through space her ship lost the signal of Isaac's shuttle. Apparently one of the massive space rocks plunged right into the colony. Nicole silently cried as she had to accept the fact that her love was dead. Why oh why did she leave? If she stayed she could've gotten him to come with her. She didn't grieve for long because soon the USM Blood picked up her ship and threw her in this cell. Nicole continued to rock back and forth in her cell; unrelenting tears streaming down her face.

"Isaac. I'm so sorry. I love you. More than you'll ever know." Her voice cracked in between sobs.

**A/N: Lexine, Gabriel, and Nathan all appear in Dead Space: Extraction. Also the first time Isaac sees Nicole she's the real thing. Every other time it's because of the Marker. Any and all feedback will greatly be appreciated.**


	2. Nicole's story

_Twinkle Twinkle Little Star_

_How I wonder what you are _

_Up above the world so high_

_Like a diamond in the sky_

_When the blazing sun is gone_

_When the nothing shines upon_

_Then you show your little light_

_Twinkle twinkle all the night_

_Then the traveler in the dark thanks you for your little spark_

_He could not see which way to go_

_If you did not twinkle so_

_When the blazing sun is gone when the nothing shines upon_

_Though I know not what you are _

_Twinkle Twinkle Little Star_

"Hey Blondie. Shut up in there!" A marine shouted just from outside Nicole's cell. She only began to repeat the song. "Hey! I told you to shut up!"

"What are you yelling about now?" A female marine asked approaching the cell.

"Girl's been muttering the same song for at least twenty minutes. It's beginning to creep me out."

"Don't waste your breath trying to get through to her. She hasn't spoken to anyone since she was brought on board. She's really messed up. What ever happened on Aegis 7 really shook the girl up."

_

I could hear voices outside. Probably that same Marine from before, but I didn't answer him. All I could think about was how I inadvertently led to Isaac's death. And that sick bastard, Mercer.

_

**Several hours ago**

"Ok Mercer. I did as you asked. But why?" I questioned while he kept his gun aimed at my heart.

"Because Ms. Brennan, a distress call was sent out not too long ago. A maintenance team is already on its way as we speak. Your lover Isaac Clarke is apart of that team. Once Isaac sees that message he will be mentally distracted enough to be easy picking for my children." An almost satanic smile graced Mercer's lips as he explained himself. "Now come," he said motioning for me to get up with his gun. "It is time for you to play your part." I did as I was told for that sick freak and he lead me to his laboratory. I could practically smell death all around me. Almost everywhere I looked there was someone dead; either by a suicide, killed by someone else in self-defense, or by murder. These were all good people. A small tear escaped me and slowly rolled down my cheek. Why is this all happening?

We finally reached Mercer's lab and when we entered I almost screamed. In a large glass tube was the most grotesque looking necromorph I had ever seen. It appeared to be in some sort of dormant stasis.

"Magnificent. Isn't it?" Mercer said in awe while placing a hand on the tube.

"What…What is it?" I asked taking a few steps backward.

"My greatest creation. It is a higher level of the necromorphs. It will continue to attack until its mission is completed, completely indestructible, and its claws can cut through practically anything. I could go so far as to call it the perfect organism." As Dr. Nut job continued to marvel in his work I began to slowly walk towards the exit. "Of course none of this would have been possible if not for the help of Benson." I stopped suddenly.

"That thing is Benson?"

"Indeed, Ms. Brennan. He was a little hesitant at first, but he soon became a true believer as you will now."

At that moment something inside of me snapped and the next thing I knew I was tackling Mercer to the ground. "You sick bitch!" I screamed and began to pound him with punch after punch not letting up. Mercer managed to catch my fists and then hit me across the head with his gun knocking me off of him. I charged him again knocking him onto the table and grabbed hold of his wrist and repeatedly slammed his hand into the control panel until he relinquished his hold on his gun. I delivered on final blow to his face and then raced over to the exit. "Come on!" I shouted pounding on the door to make it open. I ran out of the lab and took off down the hallway, but heard a gunshot fired followed by a sudden pain in my backside. I stumbled and fell to the ground. I tried to look behind me and saw my RIG was sending off sparks; terrific. Worse yet Mercer was headed for me gun aimed in my direction. I got back up and pushed the pain I felt away as I escaped Mercer's view.

Mercer stopped running and then looked at a nearby air vent. "Capture her," he said and a necromorph slasher jumped out of the vent. It looked at Mercer for a moment and then ran down the hallway.

I could hear one coming for me, but I refused to look back. I only kept my attention ahead. It let out a growl and then suddenly everything became quiet. I rounded another corner then stopped to catch my breath. I needed to contact Lexine and let her know that I was alive. My RIG sent off more sparks as I tried to use it. Damn it! Can anything else go wrong today!? I found out almost immediately. A necromorph crashed through the air vent behind me and pinned me to the floor. My screams filed the hallway followed by its foul sounding growl. Another necromorph approached me and grabbed me by my feet and began to drag me off. I tried to struggle to break free, but it was no good. Then the necromorph turned its head, stopped walking, and swung its claw into my face. Everything went dark after that.

_

I regained consciousness and was greeted with the smell of dead, rotting, flesh.

"Ah Ms. Brennan. So glad you have woken," Mercer greeted me.

"Nice to see you too ass-hole," I cursed while observing that I was strapped to a lab table.

"Nicole. You must understand that what I am doing is for the betterment of the future."

"You're assisting in the death of your own race!" I screamed while trying to break free from the table's bindings.

"Nicole. The future, your future, the future of our race, ends here," Mercer continued approaching me with a syringe.

"Get away from me," I ordered him with hate dripping from my words. Mercer only grinned as he stopped at my side. "I said get away from me!" Mercer laughed and was about to stab me with the syringe when the door to his lab opened up.

"Leave her alone you bastard!" Jacob Temple yelled tackling Mercer to the floor. Dr. Elizabeth Cross ran in after him and stopped in front of me holding a plasma cutter.

"Hold still, Nicole," she advised aiming the cutter at the bindings.

"Like I can do much else," I thought, but was still grateful when she freed me.

"Elizabeth!" Temple shouted. We both turned to see him struggling with Mercer. Elizabeth aimed her plasma cutter, but two more necromorphs landed in the room. "Get Nicole out of here! Don't worry about me!" He ordered her punching Mercer in the jaw and into a table. The necromorph lashed out and cut him across the back. Temple fell to his knees yelling for us to go. He grabbed Mercer's discarded gun and started blasting everything in sight. We took off out the door and didn't look back. A slasher smashed through a vent in front of us to impede our path. Elizabeth pumped it full of plasma energy completely dismembering it.

"Follow me. We have to get to the tram station," She said stepping over the dead creature with me running behind.

"Why there?" I asked slightly out of breath from all the running.

"Temple said if we ever got separated to go to the tram station and take it to the cargo bay. I really don't know why, though," She informed me, blasting another slasher's head off. An infector jumped into the fray and attempted to knock me to the floor. I caught it mid jump and try to keep it at bay.

"Hold it steady!" Elizabeth yelled at me reloading her cutter. Another smaller necromorph jumped off a wall and latched itself around her neck chocking her. My eyes widened at the being this close up to one of these monsters. It raised some sort of stinger and attempted to pierce my neck. I dodged its first strike and then its second and raised it high over my head. I threw it down onto the floor with all my might and rammed my foot on its head. I grabbed hold of its stinger and pulled as hard as I could; ripping it out of the infectors head. The infector let out some sort of a weird wail and lay still. I ran to Elizabeth and grabbed hold of the necromorph and tried to pull it off her. When enough of its tentacles were exposed, she sliced through them using the cutter killing the necromorph in the process.

"Are you ok," I asked her observing the markings on her neck.

Elizabeth coughed a little and replied, "I'll survive. Come on we need to get onto the tram." We stepped on board the tram and set its course for the cargo bay.

"So, any theories about Mercer the merciless going psycho on us?" I questioned while sinking into one of the seats.

"Your guess is as good as mine," she replied sitting next to me. "Kayne thinks it has something to do with the marker."

"Do you know what became of him?" I asked hoping there might be other survivors.

Elizabeth only shook her head. "I haven't seen him in hours. He's probably dead for all we know." She replied sinking her head into her hands. The tram stopped moving and we slowly stepped out. The coast appeared clear.

"Elizabeth," I began. "I need you to use your RIG."

"What for?" She asked me.

"Mercer told me that Isaac was on his way to the ship. He made me record this message to "mentally distract him" as he put it. I need to let him know I'm alive, but my RIG is damaged." Elizabeth was about to carry out my request when everything went to shit…again. A slasher crashed things and tackled her to the floor.

"Nicole!" She yelled. "Catch!" She threw me her plasma cutter. I tried to aim, but another slasher joined the fray and took a swing at me. Its claw connected with my cheek and I fell to the floor unloading the clip. The slasher backed away, but was still coming. "Nicole!" My head zipped in the direction of Elizabeth's scream. The other slasher was dragging her into the air vent. I tried to rescue her, but the other grabbed my shoulders and attempted to take a bite out of my neck. I managed to push it off me and took of its head; making a run for the elevator door as I did so. Though headless, the slasher still tried to pursue me. I entered the elevator and repeatedly hit the door close button. The slasher jumped at me and reached the elevator just as the doors shut. I could hear it crash against the door followed by it trying to claw at the doors as the elevator descended downward. I slumped into the corner of the elevator as it continued. I was on my own now. Nothing left to fight for, but my own survival. The doors opened and I found myself in the cargo bay. I took the lift to the bottom of the floor and froze when I heard the sound of another necromorph. I peered around the corner and saw it pacing on the other side. Looks like it hadn't seen me. Good. Then I heard something else. I whirled around and saw some sort of necromorph heading towards me; part of it was glowing yellow. I started backing up when the bigger necromorph spotted me. I ran down the hallway as it charged me. It dove just missing me and I ran past it. The smaller necromorph stepped over its body and continued towards me. Then out of nowhere a giant tentacle rose from out of the cargo and tried to crush me. I dove to one side and shot the yellow part of the necromorph. It exploded on contact throwing me over the railing. I made my way through the cargo jumping as the tentacle went for another swing. I cannot seem to catch a break! And then just as quickly as the tentacle appeared it disappeared; falling back under the cargo. I finally took a much needed breath. I had no idea how much more of this I could handle.

_Nicole_

What the? Some sort of voice appeared in my head.

_Nicole_

The where a bright red light from just behind me and I faced the source. It was… the marker. Random voices started to penetrate my head. This thing. It's… calling to me.

_Nicole. Make us whole again_

I stretched out a hand and placed it on the marker. Some sort of vision flashed into my mind. I was attacking someone; pinning him to the floor. Wait… I'd recognize that armor anywhere. Isaac! The vision ended and I was back in front of the marker; hand trembling as I pulled it back. Did I really just see Isaac being attacked; or am I going crazy? No. I know what I saw. Isaac. I have to help him. Somehow I will.

**A/N: There will be one more part of Nicole's story and then we will return back to Isaac and company. That's when the fun really begins. Any comments or criticisms (preferably constructive ones) are welcome.**


	3. Nicole's Story part 2

**A/N: Sorry for being gone for so long. FYI some changes have been made to the first chapter. Kendra's alive now; Isaac saves her from the Hive Mind as opposed to watching her die. She has also been captured along with Isaac.**

"My name is Nicole Brennan. I'm a doctor on the USG Ishimura. In the past few days the crew of the Ishimura has been mercilessly slaughtered. Not a trace of them is left. Anyone who attempted to fight wound up dead and then they became one of them. The necromorphs; the mutated corpses of the dead crew members. I am one of only two known survivors. The other is a man by the name of Doctor Mercer, who has gone completely insane."

I started to laugh to myself as I repeated that little speech in my head. In the event that I did survive who was I going to say it to? It's not like anyone was going to believe me; hell we aren't even supposed to be in this system. But right now I had more important things to be concerned with. I needed to find Isaac. That vision I received was blurry at best, but I think I got something of a good look as to where he was. He appeared to be somewhere in the mining deck; Looked like it was one of the lower levels. The thing that scarred me the most was that I met no resistance on the way over to the elevator that would take me to the level Isaac was on. It made me wonder if I should be counting my blessing or be prepared for something worse down the road.

* * *

"Dr. Charles Mercer: Scientific Journal Entry number 500. The Hunter has had its first performance and it has exceeded expectations. It has survived complete dismemberment, regenerated all lost body tissue leaving no evidence of damage, and has even escaped from cryogenic freezing. Has also exhibited various levels of sentience. Its primary target, Isaac Clarke, has fled in fear during each of their encounters together; has sometimes only barely managed to escape. Will now attempt to replicate the experiment that created it. Will attempt to mix traces of its DNA with that of a human subject. Predicted results: a far more lethal and sentient hunter."

"You really need to take up a new hobby," Temple commented from the lab table he was strapped to.

"You can criticize me all you like Mr. Temple, but you must know that what I do is for the betterment of the future.

"You freaking psycho!" Elizabeth yelled trying in vain to break free.

"Silence!" He ordered sticking a syringe into her side.

"Elizabeth!"

* * *

"Still no sign of Isaac," I sighed searching the mining decks of the ship. As I searched I could've sworn that I heard the sounds of a pulse rifle being used. Probably my imagination; I heard another blast then a slasher's head spun over the wall and landed next to me. I raced down the pathway praying I wasn't too late. I heard the sound of a lift stopping and ran around the corner. Oh dear God. "Isaac. Is that you? I can't believe it." I don't think Isaac believed it was me either given the stunned gasp he let out. Thanks to the marker I knew exactly what Isaac needed. He was trying to send out a distress signal, but couldn't without the proper equipment. Lucky for him I was here to help now. We entered the next room and I rapidly started my work to unlock the door on Isaac's side. A loud crash broke my concentration. A slasher was on my side and I couldn't stop it. The thing cut into me and I crawled away from it screaming for Isaac to help. He was aiming a Contact Beam at it, but wouldn't fire. What was he waiting for? This was it. I was about to die. The slasher raised its claws and went in for the kill.

"GET AWAY FROM HER YOU BITCH!" The necromorph was blown to smithereens and I looked at Isaac; his gun was wildly shaking in his hands.

"Isaac? Did you just…speak?" I asked him. I could've sworn that he'd never be able to talk again following that engineering accident he was in. I don't know how he was suddenly able to talk again, but it was nice to see something good happen amongst all the chaos.

"Yes, Nicole," He responded. I forgot what it was like to hear his voice again. "You need to get the door open for me. Please." I nodded and opened the door for Isaac allowing him access to what he needed.

"I can't reach you from here, Isaac. But we'll be together again soon and then this will be all over. I love you." With those words spoken I ran off; catching Isaac saying that he loved me too at the last moment. The marker appeared in my mind again; it wanted me to return to it. What the hell is that thing? I reached the elevator and took it back up to the main deck. The mining floor gave me the creeps. As the elevator went up I could've sworn I saw a necromorph watching me. "Keep it together, Nicole. All you need to do now is focus on finding a way out of this mess." I exited the elevator and a high pitched wail echoed throughout the corridor. What now? I crept quietly to see what was going on.

"Relax, my dear boy." Mercer; what has he done now. I peaked around the edge and almost threw up. Elizabeth was lying dead covered in what looked like the guts of a necromorph. Mercer was leading a hand cuffed Jacob Temple towards the elevator at the other end of the hall. I have to save him. I took one step and Mercer halted his movements.

"Come," he said and the biggest necromorph I ever saw crawled out from one of the air vents. It was Mercer's 'grand experiment'. He was out of that glass tube now. "It seems we have an uninvited guest. Dispose of her." How did he know I was here? The sound of a necromorph breaking through another vent (how many vents did this station have) was heard and I checked to see if it was still there. It was gone and so was Mercer. A claw smashed out through the wall behind me. It attempted to slice of my head, but I ducked to dodge it. I sprinted to get somewhere, anywhere, away from it. I crashed into a closed door and banged on it so it would open. The Necromorph rushed after me; snarling as it did. I ran into a room and ducked under a table. The necromorph entered the room (since when did necromorphs use a door as a means of entry) and searched it knocking over lockers and a workbench. It stopped in front of my hiding place. It dragged its claws against the table top making me cringe. I saw some of its drool fall down to the floor. I was certain it would overturn the table and take my life right then and there, but to my shock it didn't. It left the room and climbed into a vent. I finally made it to the tram again and took it for the hangar bay. Hopefully I'd find a ship there.

"You aren't thinking of leaving are you?" Isaac asked.

"Isaac?"

"Make us whole again."

* * *

"You won't succeed in whatever it is you're planning," a weary Jacob Temple said. Mercer had him tied to a chair. "These creatures will never make it beyond this system."

"Foolish, boy." Mercer said. "Do you recall the experiment I performed on you and Dr. Cross?"

"Yeah. You tend to not forget someone sticking a syringe in your side while laughing like an insane maniac."

"My experiment will ensure the spread of the necromorphs. However, you won't be around to see it take place."

* * *

I reached the hangar; head feeling like it was on fire after all those visions I had off Isaac saying to 'make them whole again.' What was that supposed to mean? Make us whole again? The marker seems incapable of giving a straight answer. I checked the hangar to see if the coast was clear. It was and to my relief there were two shuttles just waiting to be used. But what of Isaac? He's a fighter and can take care of himself, but what if he didn't locate the other shuttle.

"Nicole." Mercer's face appeared on one of the monitors. "Whether you chose to stay or leave you cannot avoid you fate. Isaac has proven to be most resourceful, but his end is approaching. And once he has been dealt with you will be my creation's next target." My mind was made up. I'm not a soldier. I can't deal with this. Sorry Isaac.

* * *

**Back on the USM Blood**

"Hey nut jobs."

"What?" Nathan asked. The guard opened our cell.

"We're coming up on The Sprawl now," he said.

"Where's Kendra?" I asked him.

"Still being interrogated by her superiors. Now move it." Five minutes passed and we docked with The Sprawl. The entire thing looked like one giant city.

* * *

"And that's what happened," Kendra concluded.

"So you mean to say that the Red marker is lost to us?" Her superior asked.

"Yes. I told you already. Things didn't go according to plan. I had no time to load it onto the shuttle."

"You wouldn't have been in this mess if you just killed the engineer once you had the marker in your possession."

"His name is Isaac," Kendra said.

Her superior gave her a harsh look and summoned two guards. "Take her to join the other prisoners."

"Yes sir," the obeyed dragging her out of the captain's office.

"You three. I want all of their ships searched," the captain said to the remaining soldiers. They nodded and left.

* * *

"Have you found anything?" One of the soldiers asked.

"Just two glass jars," the other answered.

"All that's left to check is Shuttle 23," the third soldier informed. The shuttle seemed empty and devoid of anything dangerous. One of them checked a locker.

"AHH!"

"What is it?" The second soldier yelled pointing his gun.

"Hahahaha. Just joking." He laughed.

"Be serious for once in your life!" He yelled swinging open the locker next to him. A necromorph shot out from the locker and tackled him. "Get this thing off me!" He shouted. The necromorph slashed its tail knocking the jar out of his hand. The liquid fell over the floor and began to bubble. Something started to form from the liquid. A full blown Hunter replicated from the liquid and let out a howl. The soldiers opened fire, but it showed no signs of damage. It cut into the stomach of the solider holding onto the other jar; he dropped it and an infector formed from it. The soldiers made a last ditch attempt to escape, but the Hunter snatched their feet and dragged them back inside the shuttle.

**A/N: The necrmorphs are on The Sprawl thanks to Mercer's final experiment. How long before they infect the entire station? And can our mentally unstable heroes stop them? Good question. On another note, we are that much closer to the release of Dead Space 2! See ya soon!**


End file.
